Sonic Youth’s 5th studio album was released on 18 October 1988.
The double album was the band’s last release on an independent label under their own name (they released The Whitey Album in 1989 as Ciccione Youth).
The cover art uses paintings by Gerhard Richter, including Kerze (“Candle”).
Despite overwhelming critical praise (it was ranked #2 in both Rolling Stone and The Village Voice’s “best of year” lists), it did not chart in the US (it peaked at #99 in the UK).
